Thursday, September 26th, 2019
Officials expect more than 1,000 runners at Grand Lake Marathon
By Colin Foster
Photo by Ryan Snyder/The Daily Standard
The 2019 Grand Lake Marathon will follow the same path around the Lake as past years have. Full marathon runners will run counter-clockwise around the lake. The half marathon will start in St. Marys and end in Celina. Roads will reopen after the runners have passed. Times noted at select locations on the map tell when the first runner is expected to pass that spot and when that location is expected to reopen to traffic.
CELINA - Preparations for the sixth annual Grand Lake Marathon are approaching the finish line.
Co-race director Ryan King wants attendees on Saturday to pay special attention to what's happening around the finish line.
"We're not just focusing on the runners," King said. "Obviously, we want it to be a great marathon, and a lot of the same aspects are back in that regard. But the other thing that we've added to it is what's called 'Taste of the Marathon.' That is really just all about the finish-line area. For spectators, what it should mean is more activity, more food choices and hopefully more people back there."
King and his wife, Amanda, co-owners of Can't Stop Running Co., are entering their fourth year as co-directors. They've put an emphasis on making the event a community spectacle.
Roughly 10 local food vendors will be on hand, creating an experience King said will be comparable to the Taste of Celina. The Lake Improvement Association will sell Moeller Brew Barn products with all proceeds going to improve Grand Lake. Also included will be free bouncy houses for children and live music from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring headliner 'The One-Eyed Show" from St. Marys.
"The idea is to kind of make a finish-line festival out of it," King said. "It will hopefully bring some people from the community who may not have otherwise come down."
Last year's event drew an estimated 1,200 participants, and two new champions emerged in Arlen Glick and Lynn (Kanney) Huwer. Registration is ahead of last year's, King said a week prior to the event. Parking should be a little easier to find around the finish this year, too.
"We're opening up all the parking down at the site itself, so parking should be easier for people. They don't have to shuttle back and forth from the fairgrounds like they have in the past," King said.
The marathon starts at 7:15 a.m. on Lake Shore Drive in Celina. Also on the race card are a half marathon, a half and full marathon relay, a seniors' marathon, a 5K and a kids' run. All races start on Lake Shore Drive with the exception of the half marathon, which launches from Memorial Park in St. Marys.
More information can be found at grandlakemarathon.com.
